The Occupation Of Afghanistan Must End

I was touched by a recent comment regarding the mental state of veterans visiting my blog. I think there is no better way to serve the cause of veterans than by working diligently for peace and making their number non existence.

Lies and manipulation are always evil no matter what the cause. The ends do not justify the means. In fact the only way to ensure that the big steps work out right is that in every small step due diligence is made to maintain moral integrity. Cutting corners and doing the expedient thing really hurts in the long run.

The ‘war’ in Afghanistan is based on a lie. Even if you believe the official report Bin Laden was not part of the Afghanistan government. So basically in response to the tragic events of 911 the United States invaded a country to eliminate a faction in that country that was not officially affiliated with their government. Bin Laden has ‘officially’ been dead but the military activity continues.

The truth is that our occupation of Afghanistan is because of their opium supplies, rich mineral resources and their geopolitical position. All three have nothing to do with an ambiguous ‘war on terror’. In fact quite the opposite is true. With every innocent, or even non innocent killed we are merely increasing the hatred of the United States by the people who live there. One reaps what one sows and we are sowing violence. We have been there sixteen years and it is blatantly obvious that our strategy is not working.

What has the war in Afghanistan gotten us? Misery and sorrow that is for sure. Besides the ill effects mental health of the soldiers and the soldiers loved ones, besides the making of enemies, besides all our military personal becoming broken and wounded, there is a cold calculus behind the war. Certain factions are profiting greatly, filling their coffers with money while our resources go to a vain cause. I am talking about the military industrial complex enriching themselves at the expense of the United States.

There will be no end to the war in Afghanistan until the people of the United States express their outrage. Voting will not end the war as it continued seamlessly through the Bush administration, through Obama and now into Trump.

The United States needs to conduct a paradigm shift of their basic philosophy. As it is now we are a sole superpower seeking complete hegemony and world dominance. Since there is no ‘draft’ the brunt of this war has fallen, as usual, on the backs of the poor. Young men and women join the armed services as a way to escape the poverty with great hopes for a better life. People with money don’t need any assistance in paying for college and thus avoid ‘serving’ their country. Yet it is the rich that are most vocal in support of the violence.

The first step in ending the ‘war’ in Afghanistan is calling it what it is and that is an occupation. In World War 2, Nazi Germany was defeated by the Allies in six years. We are nearing triple that time. There are no major battles to speak of. Rather it is guerrilla fighting. What the United States military is fighting are people determined to hold on to their own way of living against a foreign oppressor.

Learn the lessons of the Vietnam war. The quicker you can get out is the quicker that forces can work internally into transferring Afghanistan into a capitalistic trading partner. Not that that is in my opinion the way to go, but it is a historical reality regarding Vietnam.

So if you really support the troops then rise up to call for an end to this hostile ‘occupation’ and the cessation of all hostilities by the United States throughout the world. In doing so we will also alleviate a drain on the mental health system. The less people exposed to war means the less people suffering from PTSD. Support the troops by ending the mission.

John Kaniecki

John Kaniecki is a full-time caregiver for his wife Sylvia. He is a published writer and works with the Church of Christ. John has lived with bipolar for over thirty years and has been hospitalized nine times, three of which were committed. John has chronicled his life story in his memoirs "More Than The Madness". Also of note is John's book of poetry "Murmurings Of A Mad Man" which are poems written about being committed in Graystone Psychiatric Hospital. John believes in the power of words to change the world for the better. His website can be seen here.
His books can be seen on Amazon. You can visit his personal blog "Turn A Page Or Two" here.

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APA Reference
Kaniecki, J. (2018). The Occupation Of Afghanistan Must End. Psych Central.
Retrieved on March 21, 2019, from https://blogs.psychcentral.com/fragments/2018/01/the-occupation-of-afghanistan-must-end/

Last updated: 31 Jan 2018Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 31 Jan 2018Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.